Casting-cleaning apparatus



July 1, 1930. w. T. CLARK CASTING CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 12. 1927 INI/EAITOB: William T Glark,

11g ORNEYS.

r IL

WITNESSES:

Patented July 1, 1930 I UNITED? STATES;

WILLIAM r. CLARK, or IPHILADELIPHIA,

PATENT OFFICE PENNSYLVANIA, assreiion 'ro, wnrrme ORPORATION, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CASTING-CLEANING- APPARATUS Application filed July 12, 1927. Serial No. 205,058.

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning castlngs or the like, '1. e., removing adhering particles of foundry sand or-other 'while subjected to the action of-ha'rdened metal abrading elements, referred to in the art as stars or jacks, as well as to forcible impingement of granular abrasive such as sand or carborundum. .As ordina-v rily constructed, the barrels of such apparatus I embody an inner shell or treating chamber,

and an outer shell providing an annular passage or jacket for the return of the abrading elements to the receiving end of the apparatus for reuse after having traversed the treating chamber. By reason of the outer jacket or shell, the barrels were not.

only cumbersome, bulky, and heavy, but expensive to construct and maintain.

My invention is in part" directed toward obviating the above objection through provision of means independent of the barrel, for returning the abrading elements, thereby permitting the use of but a single shell to serve as the treating chamber.

In. connection with a return system operating under the above principle, I aim to efiect elevation of the metallic abrading elements from the point of collection, electro magnetically for re-introduction, by gravity, into the receiving end of the barrel.

My invention is further directed toward enabling, in connection with rotary tumblers, use of 'moist granular abrasive projected hydraulically so as to obviate the dust attendant upon treatment with dryabrasive as ordinarily practiced and thereby permit elimination of the expensive and trouble some recovery systems which must be installed to satisfy health protecting laws governing installations of this sort.

In the drawings herewith, Fig. I .is a

side elevation of a casting cleaning apparatus or rotary tumbler conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. II is a sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows II--II in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a sectional view in accordance .with the arrows IIIIII in Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a fragmentary detail view,

partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the construction of the nozzles for projecting granular abrasive upon the articles 'belng cleaned incidental to traverse through the apparatus; and,

Fig. V is a wiring diagram showing the electrical connections to the magnets whereby the abrading elements are elevated, for reintroduction by gravity into the tumbler barrel after having traversed the latter.

As herein depicted, the apparatus comprises a horizontal cylindric rotary tumbler barrel 10 having its central portion enlarged, as at 11, in a manner more or less common to such devices. Near opposite ends, the barrel 1O carries circumferential treads 12, which rest on cradle rollers 13, with journal support in bearings 14, the latter being mounted on a sub-structure 15. This sub-structure 15 is tiltable on a pivot 16 at one end thereof through adjustment of jack screws 17 engaging bosses 18 at the opposite end. The barrel 10 is thus supported for free rotation by the sub-structure 15 and, through the provisions. just described, may be inclined to different extents thereby to determine the rate of travel of the articles being treated through it, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. I. 'As a means to drive the barrel counterclockwise, as considered With reference to Fig. II, I provide an electric motor 20 which is. mounted centrally on the sub-structure 15 and direct coupled with a reduction gearing device 21.- This device 21 communicates motion to a shaft 22 jOllI'r nalled in bearings 23, also supported on the sub-structure 15. Between the two bearings 23, the shaft 22 carries a gear pinion 24: which meshes with a-gear annulus 25 fast on the drum 10, so that the latter is rotated in the manner indicated.

As is customary in connection with the operation of rotary tumblers, I employ a quan 60 correspondin tityof hard metallic abrasion elementsstars or jacksto remove the coarser adhering particles of sand or grit from the castings orother articles bein treated. These abrading elements follow t e inclination of the barrel 10, predetermined as aforedescribed, and are therefore ejected in the'present instance, at the left hand or discharge end.' At this region the barrel has a seriesof circumferentially-arranged elongated openings or slots 26, through which the abrading elements drop onto an inclined underlying screen 27 Within a hood 28 that encloses the barrel end over the region of the openings or slots aforesaid. The sloping ribbon spiral 29 by which the stars are pro-- gressed in a direction counterto their travel in the drum 10, or to the right in Fig. I, and delivered into the bottom of a semicircular collecting hood 32 around the right 39 hand or delivery end of the barrel 10. This collecting hood 32 is occupied by a hollow annular casing 33, which is secured around the drum 10 and shrouds a series of radiallydisposed electro-magnets 34 with only the 5 ends of their poles projecting, .as indicated at 35in Figs. II and III. As hereinafterdescribed, the energization of these magnets 34 is controlled in such manner that the metallic abrading elements .will be attracted at the bottom of the collecting hood 32 and carried up to a gravity chute 36 adapted to discharge them into the receiving end of the barrel 10. Just as the magnet poles 35 successively reach the chute 36, the current is cut on? to release the charges of the abrading elements carried up as explained. In the present instance I have shown four magnets 34, but obviously this number may be varied to suit any specific requirements of practice.

Referring now to the diagrammatic representation of Fig. V, it will be seen that the currentto the magnets 34 is controlled by a commutator comprehensively desi ated 37, such commutator being secured a out the shell of the drum 10 contiguous to the magnet casing 35, as shown in Fig. III. Referring again to Fig. V, the commutator 37 embodies a continuous ring contact 38 connected by a common conductor 39 to leads of the magnets 34; and a number 0% segments 40 which are arranged in staggered relation, and individually connected with the other leads of the magnets. A brush 41 connected to one side 42 of an alternating current supply line bears upon the continuous ring contact 38 of the commutator 37 3 hile a brush 43 in circuit with the other side 44 of said supply line comprehends all of-the segments 40. 'Obviously, the circumferential extent of the commutator segments 40 will determine the periods of energization of the magnets 33 during each rotation of the barrel 10, while their staggered arrangement determines cut off of the current from them successively, for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

, In accordance with my invention I employ in addition to the abrading elements, an

abrasive medium preferably moist sand delivered hydraulically. To this end I equip the apparatus with a conveying conduit system comprising two axially aligned sections 45, 46 which enter the barrel 10 horizontally near the top from opposite ends and meet at the center in a dead coupling 47. From Fig. IV'it will be noted that the conduit sections 45 and 46'embody outer pipes 48 through which the sand is delivered under pressure from a source of continuous. supply, not shown. In the pipes 48 are interposed, at suitable intervals, fittings '49 with downwardly directed nozzles 50. These nozzles 50.are variously inclined as shown in Fig. I so as to direct the discharge toward the center of the barrel 10. The conduit sections 45, 46 further embody inner pipes 51 through which water is supplied, under high pressure, from connecting branch -mains 52, 53'-see Fig. Ithat lead from an appropriate pump, not shown. The

pipes 51 are interrupted at intervals by fittings 54 with nozzles 55 aligned in axial relation with the nozzles 50, of the fittings 49, in the outer pipes 48. With this arrangement, the sand delivered by the outer pipes 48 is forcibly/ejected under the action of the hydraulic nozzles 55 through the larger sand nozzles 50.

The operation of my invention is as fol: lows: Assuming the barrel 10 to be continuously rotating, in the'direction of the arrow in Fig. II, under drive of the electric motor 20, it will be apparent that by reason of the inclination of said barrel, the articles being treated pass from the right hand or receiving end-Fig. I-to the discharge end Incidental to such travel at the left. through the barrel 10, the tumbling articles are subjected to the action of the abrading elements as well as to the hydraulically-im-' pelled spray jets of the sand from the nozzles 50, in the conduit sections 45, 46. The

angular arrangement of the nozzles 50 ob-- Viously determines impact ofthe abrasive upon the articles first from one side and then from the other during passage through the barrel 10. Upon reaching the delivery end of the barrel 10, the abrading elements drop through the openings 26 onto the inclined screen 27, within the hood 28, along which they gravitate into the connecting end of the return tube 29. The sand and water used in the treatment also drop through the openings 26 in the barrel 10,

thence past, the screen 27 and enter a funnelwith the abrading elements in the tube 29,

said chute connecting through a pipe 60 with the same storage place referred to above.

In sweeping around the bottom of the collecting hood 32 incidental to rotation of the barrel 10, the magnets 34 attract the metallic abrading elements and carry them up and around to the ravity chute 36 where they are released, t roughv interruption of the current as already understood, for re-introduction into the receiving end of the barrel 10. The means for handling the sand and water may be similar to the system shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 184,060, filed April 15, 1927, and, for this reason it has been omitted from the drawings. In order to preventpermanent magnetization and adhesion between the metallic abrading elements and the articles under treatment, I use alternating current in preference to direct current.

Having thus described my invention, I claim I v 1. In casting cleaning apparatus, the combination of a horizontal rotating barrel through which the articles being treated are passed from end to end incidental to being tumbled about in company with a quantity of metal abrading elements, variously located jets directing high-pressure water and abrasive toward the center of the barrel upon the articles, an underlying rotary tube driven by the barrel to continuously conduct the metal abrading elements back to the receiving end of the barrel, and means revolving with the barrel embodying a series of electro-magnets to elevate such abrading elements for re-introduction into the barrel.

2. In casting cleaning apparatus, the combination of a horizontal rotating barrel through which the articles being'treated are passed from end to end incidental to being tumbled about in company with a quantity of metal Labrading elements, opposedly inclined jets directing high-pressure water and abrasive toward the center of the barrel upon the articles, an underlying rotary conduit having an internal spiral to continuously conduct the metal abrading elements back to the receiving end of the barrel, a

by the rotating means secured around the delivery end of the rotating barrel and embodying a series of electro-magnets to elevate the returned metallic abrading elements for re-introduction into the barrel, and means to control interruption of the current to the magnets successively to release said metallic abrading elements. j

3. In casting cleaning apparatus, the combination of a horizontal rotating barrel through which the articles being treated are passed from end to end incidental to being tumbled about in company with a quantity of metal abrading elements, opposedly inclined jets directing high-pressure water and abrasive toward the center of the barrel upon the articles, an underlying rotary conduit with an internal ribbon-spiral to continuously conduct the metallic abrading elements back to the receiving end of the barrel, a casing secured around the delivery end of the rotating barrel and shrouding a series of eleotro-magnets to elevate the returned abrading elements for re-introduction into the barrel, and a commutator with segments to control the periods of energization of the magnets with interruption of the current upon elevation of each charge of the metallic abrading elements to release them. 4. In casting cleaning apparatus, the combination of a horizontal rotating barrel through which the articles being treated are passed from end to end incidental to being tumbled about in company with a quantity of metal abrading elements, means for concurrently directing variously inclined hydraulic jets carrying abrasive upon the articles, means for separating the abrasive are passed from end to end incidentalto being tumbled about in company with a quantity of metal abrading elements, means .for concurrently directing towards the cen-' ter of the barrel hydraulic jets carrying granular abrasive upon the articles, a hood surrounding the longitudinally-slotted discharge end of the barrel, an inclined screen separating the hood from an underlying hopper, said screen permitting the passage of the granular abrasive and the spent water, an. underlying rotary tube withan in ternal ribbon-spiral to receive the recov-' ered metal abrading elements from the screen and conduct them to the receiving end of the barrel, and electro-magnets carried barrel with means control-, ling their energizati'on, said magnets being no horizontal rotating barrel adapted to elevate the metal abrading elements so conducted and release them for reintroduction into the receiving end of the:

barrel.

6. In casting cleaning apparatus, the combination of ahorizontal rotating barrel through which the articles being treated are passed from end to 'end incidental to being tumbled about in company with a quantity of metal ahrading elements, means for concurrently directing from variously in clined points, toward the center of the barrel, hydraulic high-pressure streams carrying granular abrasive upon the articles, a hood surrounding the longitudinally-slotted discharge end of the barrel, a screen separating the hood from an underlying hopper, said screen permitting the passage of the granular abrasive and the spent water, a collecting hood at the receiving end of the barrel, an underlying rotary tube with an internal ribbon-spiral to conduct the recovered metal abrading elements to the collecting hood, and rotary disposed electro-magnets carried by the inlet end of the rotating barrel, said magnets being adapted to elevate the returned metal abrading elements in the collecting hood and through interruption of the current to said magnets release them for re-introduction into the receiving end of the rotating barrel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia Pennsylvania, this 7th day of July, 192

WILLIAM T. CLARK. 

